Senior center goes to city?

It may be time for the volunteer-run, nonprofit corporation that operates the Costa Mesa Senior Center to cede control to the city, center board member Mike Scheafer told those at this week’s board meeting. The comment surprised several in attendance.

A wave of negative publicity over the past year centered on a perceived lack of transparency in the center’s management has made it difficult to raise funds for the center and has demoralized the staff, he said, and if the city were to step in, then maybe the attacks would stop.

Critics keep saying the city can do a better job of this, so let’s look at this as an option for solving this problem, Scheafer said.

A task force created by newly elected Councilman Gary Monahan and agreed to by the senior center board is set to meet for the first time next month to begin discussing the city’s funding of the center and its role in its operation after the contract governing the relationship expires in 2010.

“The idea of the city taking over is not part of our discussions, and once we go through the contract negotiations we hope to have a new contract and a stronger partnership,” Monahan said.

As it stands, most of the center’s money is raised and spent by a board of volunteers, but the city contributes a significant amount to its operation and maintains a certain level of oversight.

There has been some bad blood at the center recently, which came to a head when Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece asked to increase the amount of city oversight. Several board members felt that Leece was asking for proprietary information (like workers’ salaries) and nitpicking, but the councilwoman said she was merely responding to complaints from constituents in the senior community.

Leaders on both sides of the controversy say they lament being embroiled in an argument that has become so emotional and personal.

The city is struggling with a projected $19-million deficit for the next fiscal year and would have a hard time finding the funding to greatly increase its involvement in the center. Scheafer agrees with Monahan that the possibility is far-fetched, but says it needs to be on the table.

“I’m simply looking at it as an option for relieving some of this pressure,” he said.

Reporter ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.